Resilient wheel.



G. P. PAPPADAKES.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED N0V116, 1914.4

G. P. PAPPADAKES.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

'APPLICATION FlLED Nov,16. 1914.

1,142,907. Patented Ju'ne 15, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. P. PAPPADAKES.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

'APPEICATION FILED Nov,16. l1914.

l,l2? i PatentedJunel, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

GUST P. 'EAPPAAKES, 0F NEVI YORK, N. Y.

RESLIENT WHEEL.

LLM/,907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June f5, i915.

Application led November 16, 1914. Serial No. 872,351.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUs'r P. Parrnnanns, a subject of the King of Greece, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Resilient Wheel, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to wheels and particularly such as utilize a yieldable tire on the outer rimthereof.

The invention is also directed to a wheel construction in which the spokes thereof are resilient/ily supported at their inner ends.

As showing certain 'specific embodiments of the invention, reference is'made to the drawings forming a part of thisspecication, and in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a side view of a wheel embodying my invention. In said figure certain portions of the wheel have been either broken away or removed. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken as on the line 2--2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a spoke in section andthe means for resiliently supporting said spoke. Fig. 4 is a view showing a portion of the hub in section and illustrating the outside view of vthe members whichconstitute a part of the means for resiliently supporting the spoke. Fig. 5 shows a construction whereby a resilient supporting mechanism is provided between the inner ends of the wire spokes of a wheel and the hub of they same; and Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.v

The wheel comprises a rim l, a `felly 2, spokes 3, a hub 4c, and means 5 located between the yhub and the inner ends of the spokes for resiliently supporting the latter on the hub.

In the form shown in Figs. l to t the felly 2 is hollowed out, as at 6, in order to become necessary or advisable.

provide a receiving space for a flexible member or chain 7- that extends* circumferentially of the wheel. The .function of this chain 7 will hereinafterbe referred to more in detail. The rim l may be :madeV in a single piece, as indicated on the drawings, but is constructed so that it can be readily removed from the felly, whereby the tire that is on the wheel can be removed'and replaced byanother, should such replacement `When in place the rim lis in engagement with the resisting ledge 8 that is on the felly, l.` g l members hereinafter referred to.

located on what is hereinafter referred to as the inner side of the felly, and the rim is forced 1n engagement with said resisting ledge by the holding clips 9 which engage both the rim and the felly. vF rom an inspection of Figs.- l and 2, it will be observed that these clips, which will hereinafter be referred to as rim holding clips, are provided with slots l0 through which pass bolts 1l that have a screw-threaded connection to the felly 2, at the innerside ofthe felly. Each of these bolts ll has securedthereto,

wheel, as shown in Fig. 2 whereby said clip 9 will be prevented from slipping toward the center of the wheel. The outer ends' of the spokes are retained in place on the felly by means of projections i4 on the rim that enter and fit the recessed portion l5 of the spokes. The inner ends of the spokes 3 are each provided with `cap-nien'ibers 16 which have a screw-connection 17 to the rest of the spoke proper. Each of these cap-members comprises as an integral part thereof an inwardly extendingy portion which constitutes a casing or frame member 18. The

spoke proper, including the cap-member just referred to, hasI an opening 19 for receiving therein certain springs and sliding Each of the casing members 1S is provided on opposite sides thereof with radially extending re cesses 2O for receiving therein projections 2l, the latter of which are on the inner and outer flanges 22 and 23 of the hub.

ico Y It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. i that the hub proper comprises the shell-member 24, the inner and outer flanges 22 and 23, and the inner and outer clamping its rings 25 and 26. These clamping rings have l screw connections as at 27 and 28 to the shell member 24g, whereby thel clamping rings 25 and 26 can fixedly secure in placel the flanges 22 and 23 b v'clampin'g the latterbetween the rings and the resisting' ledges 29 and 30 of the shell-member 24. From aurtherinI-"f spection of said Fig. 4, itgwill be observed that the radially extending recesses20 are longer than the projections 21 entering the v same,and this is to allow a movement to take place between the hub and the spokes; in other words, a ioating hubvconstruction -is provided. A cross sectionv of that portion of the shell-member 24 which is located between the holding flanges 22 and 23 is in the form of a polyhedron and, according to the construction shown in Fig. 3,v this ,polyhedron' has'tenfaces, as a b c d, etc. At each vertex of 'the polyhedron, for instance, ab

be cal, etc., there is located an inner spring resistance plug- 31. This spring resistance plug receives the thrusts which are imparted to it by the' inner end of the coil compression spring 32 and by the inner ends of the bow- A shaped springs 33. This plug slides in the casing member 18. The outer ends of the springs just referred to engage a plug 35 that is slidably mounted within the opening orlhollowed portion 19 of the spoke 3. This '25 sliding plug 35 is engaged by the inner end of a coil compression spring 36, the outer end of which spring is seated at 37, preferf Aably near the outer end of the spoke. The curved portion of the'\bowshaped springs 'A 30 33 engages at 34 with the wing-members 38 and 39ithat are respectively-pivotally connected at and 41 to the inner end of th'e' casing or frame member 18.'.

When the wheel is in use, th'e hub-is in the e5 position as shown in Fig. Land it will be Vobserved that the pressure received on the outer under-side of the rim, or in other.

words the downward pressure received lon the hub causes a compression ofthe coils 36 40' which are in the spokes that'are in the lower portion of the wheel. ln said figure it will be fobserved'that the hub hasv approached the lower portion of the rim and that with the compressing of thespring 32 a corre- 5 sponding bending .of the springs 33 also took place so as to increase the bow of these springs. In other words, with the coml .pressing of the coilV spring 32 there is atendency on thepart of the bow-springs 33 to force the wing-members 38 and 39 away from the center of the spoke upon which said members aremounted. From a further inspection of Fig. 1, it will benote'd that the bow-shaped springs,

in spoke-B for example, cause the wing member 38 of said spoke B to engage and press against the wing member 39 of spoke C, and the wing member" 39 of spoke B. to

Y I engagey and press against the member 38 of tel spoke A. Spokes A and C will also yield'to l. some extent to vthe pressure on the wheel `and the wing members 38 on each of the spokes, especially at the underside .of the wheel, will'engage and press against the ee .wingfmembees 39 of the adjacent spokes,

springs 487' and 49.

springs 48 and 49 movable plugs 50 are nieaeor whereby the pressure transmitted by means I of the springs 33 to the wingmembers will, in a measure, be transmitted to a greater or less extent around the hub of lthe wheel.

The projections 21 lwhich are on the inner and outer hub flanges have a suiiicient fit withfthe recessed portions on each of the spokes toyinsure aproper turning of the hub with the rest of the wheel but there is sufcient play between the projections 21 and' "tne casing members 18, in which the recessed portions 20 are provided, to permit a slight angular movement of the spokes relative to ber 42 at the central portion of the wheel.'

This member 42 has a number of radially extending casing members 43. These casing members 43 correspond in their function to thecasing members 18, referred to in connection with the construction shown `in Figs.' 1 to 4. The members 43 are 'each' provided with an opening 44within whichthe coil compression springs 32 are located.

The hub construction, comprising the"shell member 24, the inner andl outer flanges 22 and 23, and clamping rings 25 and 2E is the same as that shown in connection withl the construction in Figs.v 1 to 4, and the same is true of the polyhedron portion between the inner and outer flanges. A resistance plug 31 rests upon each of the vertices of this polyhedron portion. These resistance plugs receive the thrust from the inner ends of the compression springs 32 and the bow-sha edjspring 33, and said plugs are slidab y mounted in said casings 43. The outer Aends of the compression springs 32 and bow-shaped springs 33 engage a wedge-shaped member 45 which is arranged to transmit any force imparted.

to it by the springs 32 and 33, to the sliding plugs 4@ and 47 which .together constitute a set of thrust absorbing and thrust transmitting members. A part of the force which has been transmitted to the plugs 46 and 47, by the Wedge-shaped plug 45, is transmitted in opposite directions to the Between adjacent located, Which plugs 50 are loosely retained in place by pins 51 that extend to the inner and outer Vflanges 22 and 23 so that the hub of the wheel will be sure to rotate with the rest of the wheel. The construction, however, is of such a characterthat the hub can float, so to speak, relative to the circular member' to which 4the inner ends of the spoke are 'connected whereby a relative 13e the wheel that the springs 'I pressure of the wedge-shaped quently,

yielding movement can take place between the hub and the'wheel rim when the wheel is in use.

From an inspection. of Fig. 5, it will be manifest, when there is a relative approach between the hub and the lowerpportion ofv 32 at the lower side of the wheel will be compressed, that the bowing of the springs 33 will be increased, that a pressure of the spring 33 will be imparted to the-wing members 38 and 39, and that there will' be an increased member 45 the sliding plugs 46 and 47. Consethe wing members at the lower side of the wheel will transmit a certa-in amount of force to the wing members adjacent to them; also the several springs 48 and 49 will ltransmit force to the plugs 50. In

against v.other Words, the forces supplied to the and 33 are transmitted to a less extent 'around the hub.

herein set' forth are springs 32 greater or The improvements not limited to the precise construction and while in the comprising a resistance plug seated on the lisc - a felly, spokes connected I ment can take place between etc., having arrangement shown and described, as they may be embpdied in various forms and -modificationsl without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I

Hereinafter, in the claims, reference is made to the spoke construction, and it will be observed that in the form of wheel,

shown in Fig. 1 the spoke construction comprises the several spoke members A B C, at theirinner ends or the end nearest the hub the cap-members 16 which are provided with the integral portions 18.;

eral wire spokes that are connected to the circular member 42, which circular member is in turn provided with the casing meinbers 43. A

I claim as my inventiony l: A wheel of the class described having a felly, spokes connected thereto, a floating hub, and means between said hub and spokes topermit a relative movement between the hub and the-felly of the wheel, said means hub and a sliding plug coperating with said resistance plug, said sliding plug being located in an opening in` a spoke, there being Vlocated between each sliding plug and its coperating resistance plug a coil spring and two bow-shaped springs that are located on opposite sides of the coil spring, the ends of all of saidsprings being in engagement with the plugs between which cated.

2. A wheel of the class described having thereto, a floating hub, and means between each of said spokes and said hub, whereby therelative movethe hub and the felly, said means comprising a plug that they are loform of wheel shown in `Fig.- 5 the spoke construction comprises the sev- 'movement can take place between the hub and the felly, said means -sistance plug that engages comprising a rea portion of the two bow-shaped hub, a coil spring, and

lsprings that engage said plug, and which springs also engage a plug slidably mounted, a compression spring engaging said vlastmentioned plug, the outer end of said spring being seated within a spoke; there being also provided two wing members which are enof the class described havinggaged by the bow-shaped springs whereby,

when the bow of the said springs is increased as due to the load beingcarried by the wheel, the force received by the said wing members from said springs will in turn be transmitted to other similar adjacent wing members an'd springs. i

4. A wheel of the class described having a felly, spokes connected thereto,l a hub having' flanges between which the spokes are` slidably connected, each of said spokes being provided with a compression spring that is bodily movable, ay slidable plug engaged by said compression spring and another compression spring which operates in conjunction with said slidable plug, there also beingccmprised within the wheel and cooperating with said`slidable plug, bowshaped springs which press against yielding wing members,.whereby the force received by'said wing members from said bow-shaped springs will be transmitted at least partially around the hub of the wheel.

5. A wheel having a felly, spoke construction connected thereto, a hub yieldably connected to the spoke construction so that the hub, spokes and felly will rotate together; movable resistance-plugs resting on the hub, slidable plugs mounted in the spoke construction, bow-shaped springs engaging said plugs, and spring means mounted m the erate with the slidable plugs, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that anythrust imparted to the slidable plugs in the spoke construction will be transmitted, in part at least, for a distance' about the hub of the ywheel by at least a part of said bow-shaped springs.

6. A wheel'o'f the class describedv having a felly, a spoke construction connected thereto, and a floating hub connected to the spokes in such a manner that the fel-ly, spokes and hub will turn together, the wheel' being provided betweenthe spokes and hub with means comprising compression springs which engage plugs slidably mounted on a portion 'of the spoke construction, `and a Second set of springs which engage the said slidably mounted plugs and coperate therewith and with said hub so that when a force is transmitted to said plugs the movement thereof Will exert a force on the second mentioned springs and then eifect a transmission of some of said force at least a partial distance around the hub of the Wheel.

7. A Wheel having a telly, spoke construction connected thereto, and a hub yieldably connected to the spoke construction but so that the hub, spokes and felly Will rotate together, a movable resistance plug seated `on the hub, a slidable plu-g mounted in the Maase? spoke construction, a coil spring located between and engaging said plugs, bow-shaped springs engaging said plugs, and a compression spring mounted in the spoke construction and arranged to coperate With the slidable plug in the spoke construction, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that any thrust imparted to the slidable plug in the spoke construction will be transmitted in part at least for a distance about the hub of the Wheel.

This specification signed and witnessed this 6th 'day of November 1914:.

GUST P. PAPPADAKES. Signed in the presence of EDWIN A.. PACKARD, G. MCGRANN.

Gopie of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addresslngvthe Commissioner of Patente,

Washington, D. U. 

